A/N: Let me know if you like the new rewritten chapters! I also like this version better, before Asuna turned on Naomi too fast it was jarring.

Spineless;

Asuna drifted off into her head, to say she was worried about Naomi was an understatement. Still, she did what she promised. Naomi was having a hard time as it was with everything that happened with Akira Saito – she didn't need to worry about classwork.

The last bell rang, and Asuna collected the last of the homework copy for Naomi. She headed straight to the Sun Dorms only to find Naomi there already. She was still dressed in her uniform – sleeping. Asuna tried to shake her awake, but Naomi was in such a deep sleep, that she moved like a rag-doll.

Asuna sighed and neatly placed Naomi's classwork for tonight on her desk.

She quietly exited their dorm room and went to the communal restrooms to brush her teeth.

A girl came up beside her, "Hey," she said, "so what's the deal with Naomi?"

Asuna spit the toothpaste into the sink and rinsed her toothbrush, "What do you mean?"

"Come on," the girl said, "she was clearly involved with what happened with Akira Saito and Naoto." She rested her hand elbow on the sink, "So what's the deal?"

Asuna clenched her hands into fists, "Naomi has nothing to do with that."

"Asuna," another girl came up to her, "I get she's your friend and roommate but she's not one of us. She just transferred here this year and we've all been here since middle school. Are you seriously going to pick her over us?"

Asuna rinsed her mouth and spat it out into the sink.

The first girl sat on the counter, "Haruto won't say anything either, but he's seriously pissed at her."

The other girl laughed, "Maybe he caught her and Naomi in the act. I mean I wouldn't talk to her either fucking weirdo."

Asuna put her toothbrush back in her bag, "That's awful. You're all awful."

The girls laughed loudly, "Come on, Asuna! It was just a joke."

"I bet you wouldn't say that to her face," remarked Asuna. "I'll be sure to tell her everything you said."

Both girls paled, "No! We were really just kidding." They both swallowed nervously, "Please don't tell her."

Asuna had never seen Naomi be mean to her classmates, but she had this intimidating aura around her – screw with me and I'll ruin your life. No one wanted to find out if Naomi's aura was real. Their parents were rich but none of them tolerated disappointment, especially the type of public humiliation Naomi would give them if they even tried to mess with her.

Asuna didn't think of Naomi that way. Naomi had never been cruel to anyone at Cross Academy. Sure, she would give the snarky remark here and there, but she was never a bully. Their classmates were just judging a book by its cover.

Asuna smiled, "I won't as long as you stop spreading rumors about her."

The girls nodded fervently.

Asuna turned on her heel and went back to her dorm room to change.

Naomi was still sleeping when Asuna slipped into bed with her pajamas on. She yawned as she switched the lamp off and fell asleep.

The alarm clock is what woke Asuna in the morning. She stretched fully expecting Naomi to rub her sleepy eyes as she always does in the morning, but Naomi seemed intent to sleep through the alarm.

Asuna slid out of her bed and shook Naomi. Naomi would groan and stir but she wouldn't wake up.

"Nao," Asuna whispered, "wake up. We have class."

Naomi buried her face in her pillow and curled in her sleep.

Asuna changed into her uniform. Naomi wasn't going to wake up anytime soon.

She walked to class alone. That has been happening a lot lately, but she didn't blame Naomi; Naomi had to deal with the brunt of the Akira Saito mess all by herself. Asuna did not have a doubt in her mind that that was what this was about. It had to be about Akira Saito and Haruto not talking to her.

Haruto seriously needed to get over himself. Naomi was right, Saito was a horrible person who would've killed him if she hadn't uncovered the truth about their professor. What Asuna did not understand was why the Headmaster would want to make Naomi into a prefect? It didn't make any sense to her. Sure, Naomi was at the top of her class and was attending Cross Academy on a scholarship, but older students no doubt meet does same requirements. Why not choose one of them?

Not to mention that the only people who are prefects are the Headmaster's adoptive children and no one's ever been asked to become a prefect before.

Asuna stared at her open notebook as she began to relentlessly tap her pen against it, why is Naomi being promoted to prefect? Did the Headmaster think that because what she did with Akira Saito was commendable, so he offered her the prefect position? Her pen kept tapping until her professor spoke up:

"Asuna, I hope you were paying attention."

Blushing madly, Asuna darted her gaze toward the front of the class. She had never not paid attention in class.

"Tell me the name of the Commander who led the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War Two?" His tone was sharp, and Asuna never felt so embarrassed in her life.

"I don't know, professor," she said sheepishly.

"You would've if you had been paying attention, it was Isoroku Yamamoto." The professor turned his back to the class and wrote on the chalkboard, "He was later shot down while he was on a plane by an American pilot."

Asuna, utterly humiliated, forced herself to get through the day without giving so much as a thought to Naomi's well-being, which she failed at several times during the day. A weight lifted off her shoulders when she heard the Westminster bell indicating class was over.

Without a second thought, Asuna headed straight toward the Headmaster's office.

Naomi missing class is not her fault, thought Asuna, I'll talk to the Headmaster to smooth things over.

Once, she was standing in front of his office door, she raised her hand and hesitated. No, this wasn't the time for cold feet.

She knocked, "Headmaster Cross, can I come in?" She sounded braver than she felt.

"Come in," he said cheerfully.

Asuna stepped in and closed the door behind her, "Headmaster, I just wanted to say that Naomi being a little unfocused is not her fault."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean," Asuna fiddled with the end of her uniform jacket, "she's been stressed about the whole Akira Saito situation, so her missing a few classes to recompose herself is not worthy of serious concern."

"I see," The Headmaster smiled, "she's not in any trouble if that's what you're worried about."

Asuna sighed in relief, "Also I wanted to ask," she gulped, "why is Naomi getting promoted to a prefect?"

Cross's smile wavered, "She's an excellent student besides her knack for rule-breaking."

"There are plenty of other 'excellent' students, who don't have a 'knack for rule-breaking'," Asuna stated but quickly added, "I'm only asking because I'm worried about her, and I don't think giving her more work would be good for her right now."

I should not be talking to the Headmaster this way! He's going to expel me for being so disrespectful!

Asuna frowned, "She's been asleep for all of yesterday and this day."

Cross fixed his glasses, "I'm sure it's because of her nightly escapades two days ago." He smiled, "She's just getting rest."

Keep pressing, Naomi's voice came up from the back of her mind, too late now, stick with your gut.

She couldn't, "So, she's really not any kind of trouble?"

"No," He said, "I'm glad to know she has a friend like you watching out for her."

Cross smiled, "Is there anything else?"

Asuna knew the Headmaster wasn't telling her everything but she didn't know what exactly and there was a look in his eyes that Asuna did not want to contend with.

"No," she said, "thank you for your time, Headmaster."

Cross grinned ear to ear, "Thank you for coming to me with your concerns."

Asuna bowed respectfully before she left the office for the Sun Dorms. As she walked down the path, the sun was rolling down and the moon was surfacing, she sighed in relief. Knowing Naomi was fine and most likely asleep, she took her time walking to the Sun Dorms. Asuna wasn't too worried if she had to, she could just ask Naomi and Naomi has always answered her truthfully.

Asuna shivered in the cold night air; besides if she doesn't want to tell me then that's her choice.

She made her way through the dark halls, the moon was glowing fully, and the sun was nowhere in sight, and into her dorm room.

"Nao-"

She wasn't there.

Let it be, it's none of your business, thought Asuna, she's just trying to cope with everything she's gone through.

There was a knock on the door before someone came in.

"Haruto," Asuna asked, "what are you doing here?"

"Do you know what's going on with Naomi?"

"Now you care?" Asuna scoffed, "She takes a public bullet for you and all you do is ignore her. Do you have any idea what people have been saying about her?"

Haruto frowned, "This isn't about that –"

"Then what is it about? I swear to God Haruto if you started those rumors –"

"I didn't," he snapped, "I'm talking about her going to the Moon Dorms. I saw her with Yuki yesterday and tonight she just left with them."

Asuna stared at him for a while. She wondered what Naomi would want her to do – Naomi would tell her to tell him to 'go to hell', so Asuna shook her head at him.

"Come on, Asuna," Haruto expressed, "I'm trying to make amends."

Asuna looked at him one more time, "Are you going to apologize?"

He placed a hand over his heart, "First thing I'll do in the morning."

He seemed sincere.

She sighed, "The Chairman is trying to make her a prefect.

"A prefect?!" Haruto laughed, "Are you serious?! Naomi! A prefect?!"

Asuna playfully shoved him, "So that's why she's going to the Moon Dorms. They're getting her acquainted with the Night Class."

"So, she said yes?"

"No, she hasn't."

Haruto smirked, "Oh that's so like her. To squeeze so much information out of them she'll come out still knowing everything even if she doesn't accept."

"She's not like not that."

"Yes, she is." He said, "Don't tell me that after being friends with her for all thse months you haven't realized that."

Asuna huffed, "That's exploitative!"

"That's exactly why she'd do it."

Asuna rolled her eyes at Haruto, "It doesn't matter, regardless of what she chooses we have to support her."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he waved her off.

She grabbed his wrist, "I mean it, Haruto."

He looked back at her, "You do realize that if push comes to shove Naomi will literally push and shove us out of her life."

Asuna let go of his wrist and said nothing.

Deep down she knew he was right.